Man tells investigators he shot man who came at him with knife in northern Tuscaloosa County

TUSCALOOSA COUNTY, Alabama -- A man told investigators he shot a man who came at him with a knife early Sunday after they had been drinking.

Deputies responding to a shooting call found the shooting victim, 42, lying on the floor with a single gunshot wound to his chest and holding a knife in his hand at a house in the 20000 block of Highway 43 North, said Tuscaloosa County Metro Homicide Unit commander Capt. Loyd Baker.

The suspect in the shooting, a 45-year-old man, was taken into custody and transported to the Homicide Unit's office for questioning, Baker said.

He told investigators that he and the man who was shot had been drinking since 6 p.m. Saturday and that the man had become very angry, coming inside and hitting him in the face at one point, Baker said.

The shooting suspect, who had several injuries to his face and arms, told police the man picked up a knife and came at him again, Baker said. He then picked up a pistol lying on the bar and it fired, the man stated.

"Due to the evidence found at the scene and the statements made by the witnesses investigators have not charged suspect due to the evidence he acted in self-defense," Baker said.

The shooting victim is in stable condition after being transported to DCH Regional Medical Center. Deputies at the scene of the shooting had to restrain the victim to allow medical personnel to transport him, Baker said.